Let Her Be 1962 Poem by Terry Collett

Sheila saw Benny get on his school bus. She had
wanted to talk with him before he left. She watched
the bus pull out and off. No sign of him. They had
met in the corridor that morning on her way to domestic

science and briefly hugged and kissed in a doorway until
a prefect came along and moved them on. Can still feel
the kiss. His hands around my body. My heart pumping
away. Couldn't focus in domestic science. Thought of us.

Of him. The bus had gone from sight. She began to walk
home. Everything seems strange, unreal. Kissed me. I could
have stayed with him all day. How to cook a fruit cake,
the teacher said. All I thought of was him. She went in

the back door of her parents' house. Her mother was sitting
at the kitchen table sipping tea. You look unhappy, her mother said.
I'm all right, she replied. You don't look it, her mother said.
Just thinking that's all, Sheila said. She smiled. Make sure

you change out of your uniform, her mother said as she climbed
the stairs to her room. She entered her room and closed the door.
She closed her eyes. That kiss. She sighed. She hugged her body
pretending it was him. Footsteps on the stairs. She unhugged herself.

Her sister entered. What are you doing? Her sister said. Getting out
of my uniform, Sheila said. Well get on with it, I want to have
the room quiet while I pray, her sister. Sheila walked to her side
of the room and took off her uniform. Her sister undressed from

her uniform. Wish Benny was here. Not her. That kiss. Once she
had put on a grey dress Sheila went downstairs to leave her sister
with her prayers and God. She had wanted to be a nun a few months ago,
but since she had seen Benny she had changed her mind. She went
into the sitting room, turned on the TV, hoping her mum would let her be.